Improved sugar-evaporator



N. Z.' POTTER'.

Evaporatng Pan.

Patented Sept. 23

vri/vra@ 'd' @uw 2am i, @w

IINrreD STATES @PATENT Ormea;

N. Z. POTTER, OF UNIONTOVN, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED sueAs-EvAPoRA-roe.

l Spetlication forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,527, dated September 23, 1852.

T0 @ZZ whom/ it 112,(3/ concern:

Be it known that I, N. Z. POTTER, of Uniontown, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Evaporator of Saceharine Liquids, &c., and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

an apparatus for evaporating saccharine liqi nids which will admit of carrying on the operation of evaporating with a comparatively small quantity of fuel with no danger of burning or scorching, and without interruption.

The invention consists in the arrangement of two flues-one under each of the finishingpans-in combination with three dampers, two in front of the flues and one in the chimney, in such a manner that by adjusting said dampers the heat can be made to pass through either iiue at pleasure.

It consists, finally, in the arrangement ofa shelf under the first part, for the purpose of facilitating the operation of the skimming.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation, with reference to the drawings.v

My apparatus consists of three pans, A B B, which are made with their sides of wood or metal, as may be most convenient. VThe first pan, A, has a level bottom, and it'is divided into three compartments, c b c, by two transverse partitions, d d. The compartments c and c are divided into several chambers, each by means of longitudinal partitions e, and these chambers communicate with each other through suitable apertures, which in the compartment c form a serpentine channel communicating in one and extending to the opposite corner of the compartment, and which in the compartment c form two similar channels extending from the center toward both sides. The compartment c communicates with the compartment Z) through anv opening, a', in one corner of the partition cl, and the compartment b communicates with the com partment c through an opening, b', in the center of the partition d. These openings are always open, so that the juice has free access from onel compartment to the other. The pans B B are situated lower than the pan A, the tops of said pans being about level with the bottom of pan A, and they are separated from the same by a narrow chamber, O, which communicates with the pan A through gates ff and with the pans B B through gates gg', and the bottom ot' which is inclined from the pan A down toward the pans B B', so that the juice from the former passes readily through the chamber C into the latter. Each of the pans B Bf communicates through a gate, 71, h, with a trough, D, that is intended to discharge th-e molasses when done over the sides of the apparatus into a suitable receiver. This trough is made with a double bottom, to prevent burning the molasses while passing through the same.

E is the furnace, tol which access is had through the fire-door F, and which is situated directly under the pan A. A double flue, G

G', extends from this furnace under the pans B B to the chimney H. Each flue G G is provided with a damper, I I', and these dampers are operated by handles it" on the side of the furnace. They swing up and down and serve to open and close the flues at pleasure. The two iiues are separated from each other by a partition, 7c, which extends up into the chimney, where it forms a damper, Z, that swings laterally by the action of a handle, m. A shelve, r, under the pan A protects a portion of the same against the re and causes the scum to accumulate all on one end of the pan, so that it can easily be. removed. A small door or valve, J, infront of the furnace and over the fire-door serves to admit a slide, K, which, when pushed in as far as it goes, extends under the entire length of the pan A. The channel a, between this slide and the bottom of the pans, connects on one end with an upright tube, L, and on its other end it is closed by a valve, M,which,wh en open, admits cold air into the channel L.

The operation is as follows: The gates are all closed, and some water is poured into the pan B. A proper quantity of juice is put into the rst or upper pan, where it remains until it commences boiling. The damper I is then turned down, and the damper Zin the chimney is turned over, so as to open the draft under the pan B. After the juice begins to boil a small stream of juice from the tank is admitted, and when it has been boiled and been skimmed properly the two gates f f are thrown open, and also the gate g, to allow the thin sirup to flow into the pan B. When this pan is filled to the depth of about Vtwo inches, the damper I is closed, and the damper I is opened, and the damper Z in the chimney is turned to the opposite side. The water is let out of thepan B, and the current of thin sirup is changed from the pan B into the pan B, and it is allowed to fill while the contents of the other panis being reduced to mola-sses. The dampers I I are then again rcversed, the damper Z in the chimney is turned to the opposite side of the chimney, and the molasses is let off through trough D. When the pan is empty, the current of thin sirup is again changed, and so on, while one pan is filling the contents of the other are reduced to molasses, and vice versa. By the action of these dampers the operator has entire control over the heat under the pans B B. The scum is removed from the j uice in its passage through the pan A; and by the action of the shelf a' the skimming is facilitated, as previously stated. In its passage through the pan Athe juice is more and more reduced.'

When it is desired to stop work, the valves J and M are both turned down, and the slide K is pushed under the large pan, which facilitates the process of cooling down.

Having thus fully described my invention,

lwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by N. Z. POTTER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES L. ROBERTS, Jos. L'rNToN. 

